


Stay

by Wolftraps (AlwaysBoth)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-06
Updated: 2013-08-06
Packaged: 2017-12-22 15:11:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/914708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysBoth/pseuds/Wolftraps
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There’s so much they have to talk about. Why Stiles was taken, what happened to him, where they go from here. All of that will wait until later, because right now Stiles can’t keep being strong. He lets himself fall forward, into Derek’s ridiculously strong arms, and feels the pain lift. They sit, wrapped up in each other on the couch, until Stiles falls asleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt:   
> [](http://wolftraps.tumblr.com/post/55528844293/this-is-probably-a-little-sadder-than-you-wanted)  
> which turned out slightly more angsty and bittersweet than expected.

"I can't do this anymore," Stiles croaks, staring intently at the cement floor. There's a lighter colored line, running from a point under the couch, between his feet, nearly to the opposite wall, where a crack has been patched. Like scar tissue. A wound can be mended, but it will never be the same as it was before.  
  
Derek doesn't say anything, frozen in place just inside the door. He's staring at Stiles with something like awe and fear and pity, and Stiles really isn't sure he can handle being looked at like that right now, so he pointedly doesn't look back. He closes his eyes instead, leaning forward to rest elbows on knees and run shaking hands through his hair.  
  
"Nothing I do is ever enough." His voice cracks a bit through the whisper. "It never makes any difference. And things keep getting worse." He rubs a hand over his mouth to stave off the sob he can feel building up.  
  
"You're okay," Derek speaks with wonder. Stiles can't help the weak laugh that pulls out of him. ‘Okay’, yeah, what a joke. "You're alive," he continues, amends, taking a few steps forward until Stiles finally braves another glance toward the door, toward Derek. The second Derek sees him fully, he's kneeling in front of Stiles, inspecting every inch of him from the gash just above his temple to the giant bruise over his ribs and the shredded skin on his knees.  
  
There's so much they have to talk about. Why Stiles was taken, what happened to him, where they go from here. All of that will wait until later, because right now Stiles can't keep being strong. He lets himself fall forward, into Derek's ridiculously strong arms, and feels the pain lift. They sit, wrapped up in each other on the couch, until Stiles falls asleep.  
  
  
When he opens his eyes again, it's dark, and for a second he doesn't know where he is, can't breathe, needs to get out, but then those ridiculous arms tighten around him and there's an actual pressure on his chest now but somehow he can breathe so much easier. They're on the bed now, on top of the sheets, and Stiles's head rests on Derek's shoulder. Somehow he knows Derek hasn't let him go even once.  
  
"I should leave," Stiles whispers into the darkness, and they both know he's not just talking about the apartment.  
  
"You should," Derek agrees. His breath flutters through Stiles's hair where his nose has been buried, assuring himself through scent as well as touch that Stiles is really there, and it's almost comforting. "But you won't."  
  
He's probably right, but Stiles isn't ready to face that now, and he isn't ready to brave the world outside the loft, outside the bed. So he turns further into Derek, resting his head over the steadily beating heart and wrapping his arms around the sturdy chest, and takes solace in the embrace that doesn't waver once.  
  
  
Stiles wakes up in the late morning, feeling more well rested than he can ever remember being, though it likely just seems that way compared to how much sleep he _hasn't_ been getting lately. And he smiles slightly at the arms still curled around him, but the world is still turning and there are other people he should see.  
  
Reluctantly, he pulls away from Derek to get out of bed, only to find himself pinned in place.  
  
"Derek-"  
  
"Don't leave," Derek says sleepily, but there's a touch of fear hiding in his words. And really, Stiles has never been good at staying out of things, even if they'll only bring him trouble.  
  
"I won't," Stiles says, and lets himself fall into those warm, strong, _safe_ arms again. 

**Author's Note:**

> Visit me on [tumblr](http://wolftraps.tumblr.com)!


End file.
